JILL BAKES | These mini lemon meringue tarts taste like summer in every bite

Local woman Jill Stewart (Jill Bakes)

Sharp citrus, silky lemon filling, crisp buttery pastry and clouds of toasted Italian meringue — these beautiful mini lemon tarts from Portglenone baker Jill Stewart look like something straight from a boutique bakery window, yet they’re surprisingly achievable at home.

Perfect for summer weekends, garden parties or simply an excuse to bake something gorgeous, this latest recipe from Jill Bakes strikes that sweet spot between impressive and approachable.

And while the glossy swirls of Italian meringue may look complicated, Jill’s recipe includes clever shortcuts and practical tips that make the whole process far less intimidating than it first appears.

“Blowtorching meringue is now up there with the most therapeutic things,” Jill says — and honestly, once those golden peaks start caramelising, it’s easy to see why.

A bakery-style dessert without the stress

One of the reasons Jill Stewart has built such a loyal following through her Jill Bakes Instagram platform is her knack for creating recipes that feel special without demanding endless ingredients or professional baking skills.

This recipe uses condensed milk to create an ultra-smooth lemon filling with minimal effort, while shop-bought shortcrust pastry can also be used to make life even easier.

The result is a dessert that feels elegant enough for guests but realistic enough for a Sunday afternoon bake at home.

The recipe makes four larger 10cm tarts alongside six mini versions using a standard muffin tray, or six full-sized tarts depending on how you divide the pastry.

What you’ll need

For the pastry:

• 250g plain flour, sifted

• 40g icing sugar

• 175g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 1 large egg yolk (save the white for the meringue)

• 3–4 tbsp cold water

Or:

• 1 pack shop-bought shortcrust pastry

For the lemon filling:

• 397g tin condensed milk

• Juice of 2 lemons (around 80ml)

• Zest of 1 lemon

For the Italian meringue:

• 150g caster sugar

• 60ml cold water

• 75g egg whites

The secret to crisp pastry and silky filling

Jill recommends keeping the pastry mixture as cold as possible while making the dough, helping create that delicate crisp texture once baked.

After rubbing the butter into the flour and icing sugar until it resembles breadcrumbs, the egg yolk and icy cold water are gently mixed through before the dough is chilled in the fridge.

Once rolled out and pressed into tart tins, the pastry cases are blind baked until lightly golden before being filled with the lemon mixture.

The filling itself could hardly be simpler — condensed milk, fresh lemon juice and zest combine to create a rich, tangy centre that balances beautifully against the sweetness of the meringue.

After a short bake, the tarts are left to cool before the real showstopper begins.

Jill’s favourite part? The Italian meringue

Italian meringue gives these tarts their glossy bakery-style finish and, unlike traditional meringue, it doesn’t need to be baked again once piped onto the tarts.

Instead, hot sugar syrup is slowly whisked into stiff egg whites, creating a smooth, shiny mixture that holds its shape beautifully.

Jill recommends using a sugar thermometer to make sure the syrup reaches between 118 and 120 degrees before adding it to the whisked egg whites.

Once piped onto the cooled tarts using a star nozzle — or simply spooned on for a more rustic look — the meringue can be lightly caramelised using a blowtorch or under the grill for a few seconds.

The final result is everything you want from a summer dessert: buttery, zesty, creamy, light and beautifully dramatic on the table.

A local baker inspiring thousands online

Jill Stewart, from Portglenone, has become one of Northern Ireland’s best-known home baking creators through her Jill Bakes social media platform, where more than 65,000 followers regularly tune in for recipes, baking inspiration and easy-to-follow tutorials.

Her style focuses on achievable home baking without unnecessary fuss — something that continues to resonate with readers and food lovers across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Jill, who learned many of her baking skills from her late grandmother, is also a regular contributor to Ireland’s Homes Interiors and Living magazine.

Readers can discover more recipes and baking inspiration from Jill Bakes here:

Visit Jill Bakes

Whether you go all out with beautifully piped swirls or keep things simple with spooned meringue peaks, these mini lemon tarts feel exactly like the kind of bake summer was made for.